Let's Settle this: Pro-GWoT Imperialist or No? Anti-GWoT Coward or No? Read text 1st

[Adrian II]

Joel Stein seems to be a self-professed clown and as such we should grant him some latitude.

Americans who signed up with the Military in the wake of 9/11 may have thought (or hoped) that the 'war on terrorism' would be just that. And it was, in so far as the demise of the criminal and criminally insane Taliban regime in Afghanistan was both necessary and very welcome. I fully support the multinational effort to rebuild Afghanistan and introduce the basics of political democracy to that country, though I fear it is going to be at least another ten years before we will see a sufficient, autonomous domestic fundament for democracy in that nation. We will all have to bleed for it in terms of money, diplomatic effort and, most tragically of all, human lives. And there is always the risk that the occupation forces overplay their hand, alienate the population, or grow cynical over the years and thus become ineffective as an instrument of change.

Iraq is a different game altogether. I am inclined to agree with Stein that since 2003 imperialism has taken over from patriotism and legitimate self-defence as the main force behind the 'war on terrorism'. From the start this ill-fated invasion has been part of a plan to reshape the area to suit American political and economic interests, which is the very definition of imperialism.

However, that does not justify an equation of American soldiers with imperialists as if they were on a par with the disenfranchised conscripts and colonial mercenaries enlisted by European imperialist powers in a previous era. The U.S. is a democracy with a well-educated population and the democratic element in its Army as well as its society is strong enough to thwart any serious abuse of military power and foreign policy for the private gain of a small elite.

This basic democratic attitude forces the U.S. Administration to uphold at least the facade that the main goal in Iraq is the establishment of political democracy. For over a year I have been thinking, or hoping, that this rhetoric would serve as a magnet that would attract democratic and reform-minded forces and policies, and would miraculously 'transsubstantiate' into a secular, democratic state of Iraq.

But it isn't working and I have lost faith...

[Watchman]

Facades only tend to attract two kinds of peoples: opportunists and fools. Neither are in and by themselves terribly useful.